A general large knife can cut into a roast, but it won't work near as well as proper roast knife. The roast knife is designed to be longer with a slight serration to the edge to cut through roast meat quickly. Look at any roast served on a buffet line, and the chef will be working with a roast knife versus any other blade. The 12" Duo-Edge Roast Slicer (SG140-12GE-PCP) by Dexter Russell provides a good choice for a roast knife pick, including a solid grip handle as well as a long blade with the requisite serrated edge. No properly cooked roast will resist cutting from this tool.
